The Shreveport/Bossier City casino cluster consists of three properties on the east bank of the Bossier City’s Red River (Casino Magic, Isle of Capri, Horseshoe) and one (Harrah’s) on the west bank in Shreveport. All four are riverboat casinos with unrestricted boarding. They do not leave the dock, apparently because the Red River is non-navigable at this point. It seemed fine to me, but under the surface I suppose there could be submerged obstacles, alligators, former elected officials…you never know. Restaurants and shops are housed in land-based pavilions.

First stop, Casino Magic. I was able to join the slot club, Club Magic, at a convenient booth located in the walkway between the pavilion and the boat. The Magic Money Players Club offers slot players a .7% cash rebate, the highest in the area. Video poker players must settle for a .36% cash rebate. Earning 100 points ($700 coin-in on slots, $1,400 on vp) entitles you to the casino rate at the attached hotel, a well-appointed, six-story affair with 100 rooms and 88 suites.

Slot card in hand, I boarded the boat and began sniffing around for full-pay video poker. As I walked by the bar on the second deck, I was surprised and delighted to find 50¢ 9/6 Jacks or Better bartop machines, with MGD and Heineken on tap. Paradise! Just in time, however, I noticed that the payout for a royal flush with five coins in had been set to 3,125 instead of the standard 4,000. Not only does this adjustment lower the expected return to about 91%, just think of the psychological damage I may have suffered had I hit a royal and been paid $781.25 instead of $1,000. The fiends! Shaken, I gave up my barstool and continued my search.

Up on the top deck, I found the real thing: quarter Triple Play machines with 9/6 Jacks or Better, 99.7% Deuces Wild, and 9/7 Double Bonus. Reassured, I ordered a drink (comped) and set about earning my casino rate. It took less than an hour to rack up the required 100 points; I broke even and earned $5 cashback in the process. Also on the top deck, I found several video bonus slots including Jeopardy!, Filthy Rich, Piggy Bankin’, Monopoly Once Around, and some Aristocrat favorites. The two lower decks were dominated by mechanical reel favorites, mostly 25¢ and $1. The high-limit area included a few $5-and-up slots and $5 Jacks or Better machines.

Back ashore, in the pavilion, Abracadabra’s Buffet and Presto’s Brick Oven Grill share space with a stage, where coming attractions include The O’Jays, Don Rickles, Debbie Reynolds and Harry Belafonte. In the hotel wing, Randolph’s offers fine dining in a more secluded, elegant setting. Daily specials run about $25.

The Horseshoe is indeed a riverboat casino. I mention this again because it bears no resemblance to a riverboat once you get inside, except for a peculiar rumbling under the floor on the lower level. Boasting the tallest hotel tower in the city, the Horseshoe offers the area’s most upscale, dignified casino experience. The stately pavilion includes several gift shops as well as a buffet, café, Jack Binion’s Steakhouse, and Tuscany Ristorante. The walkway to the casino is decorated with a "Million Dollar Wall," a 100 ft. long, 11 ft. high display of ten thousand brand-new Benjamins, reminiscent of the sadly departed $1,000,000 attraction at Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas.

The casino itself is decorated in elegant beige and gold, with a low noise level and a stately decorum. Dollar slots predominate, although higher and lower denominations can be found; nickel and quarter players will find plenty of video bonus slots on the lower level, including 25¢ Slotopoly and many other brand-new IGT and Williams games. Video poker players must be sure to check the payouts here; 7/5 and 8/5 Jacks or Better machines are everywhere, but a few full-pay 9/6 games can be found on the lower level ($1 and 50¢ denominations) and on the upper level (25¢).

The Winners Circle Players Club offers a .25% cash rebate for video poker and .5% for slots. Points can also be redeemed for merchandise, meals and rooms at a slightly better rate than for cash. Be sure to register a four-digit PIN when you join the club, so you can comp yourself at the automated kiosks and avoid long lines at the booth.

Big-name entertainment at the Horseshoe takes place regularly in the Riverdome, a spectacular concert facility located just off the pavilion. Winners Circle members receive a significant discount to these shows, as well as to the weekly "Rockin’ on the Red" parties, featuring live music and dancing on the casino rooftop, overlooking the Red River.

Over at the Isle of Capri, tropical flamboyance is the fashion. The party atmosphere begins in the pavilion, where a mechanical singing parrot serenades visitors as they enter the Calypso Buffet. I stopped at the Island Gold Members Club booth prior to boarding, and picked up a free umbrella just for joining. This came in very handy during my April visit; it often showers here in Louisiana—in between thunderstorms and tornadoes. The sign-up gift for new members varies from month to month, and existing members can get one by cashing in about 100 points. Video poker players and slot players earn the same cash rebate here: .625% for quarter machines and .55% for dollars. Points can be redeemed at any of the 10 Isle of Capri locations nationwide. Slot club members can try their luck twice daily at the free pull machine on the lower level, and special coupon discounts are offered to seniors on Tuesdays and to ladies on Wednesdays.

Once on board the boat, I found very few video poker machines at all. On the main deck, there’s one $1 9/6 Jacks or Better machine, one $5 9/6, and one $5 9/7 Double Bonus. Quarter players will have to settle for 8/5 Jacks or Better triple progressives, located on the lower level. For slot players looking for a wide selection and one of the best cash rebates in town, however, this is the place. You’ll find over a thousand mechanical reels and video bonus slots of all types and denominations, including 25¢ Monopoly, Elvis, and Jeopardy! Nickel machines are plentiful, and there’s a high-limit area with $2 and $5 machines.

Besides the buffet, the Tradewinds coffee shop and Farradday’s restaurant in the pavilion cater to hungry visitors. Accommodations can be arranged at the attached hotel or at the nearby Isle of Capri Inn. The hotel offers an innovative childcare facility called Eno’s Funhouse, which includes active play, movies, Nintendo games, skill games with prize tickets, and a "Please Touch" interactive area. Meals and snacks can be provided for a small additional fee, and parents can pick up an Eno’s pager to stay in constant contact.

Across the river in Shreveport, Harrah’s is located right in the Riverfront entertainment district, an inviting cluster of restaurants, taverns and clubs. The casino’s pavilion is a work in progress, being expanded as construction on a new hotel tower progresses. A 24-hour coffee shop and steakhouse are the restaurant options for now; I suspect a buffet is in the works. The Total Rewards slot club booth is also located in the pavilion. You can sign up for a card here, but information is pretty sketchy: points are not awarded, cashback is not available—just put your card in the slot and see what kind of offers arrive in the mail.

The casino is housed in a traditional 19th century paddle wheeler, a lovely three-decker with outdoor observation decks that offer stunning views of the Riverfront district, especially at night. Each deck has a different theme. The middle deck ("Crystal Casino") offers the only full-pay video poker options: a few scattered $1, $5, and 25¢ 9/6 Jacks or Better machines; $1 9/7 Double Bonus; and one 25¢ 10/7 Double Bonus machine. The upper deck ("Casino of the Stars") offers mainly dollar slots, along with a few $1 8/6 Jacks or Better Triple Plays. The lower deck ("Party Casino") has the best variety of slot machines, including nickel Monopoly Once Around; 25¢ Jeopardy!, Elvis, and Mine, Mine, Mine; 50¢ Double Diamond progressives, and many more. There’s also a bank of 25¢ 8/5 triple progressive Jacks or Better machines and a few 25¢ 8/6 Triple Plays.

Right next door to Harrah’s, the Hollywood Casino complex is under construction; it looks like a race to see who can finish their tower first. I was very impressed with the Hollywood Casino in Mississippi, a first-class operation with great games, a user-friendly slot club, and an inviting, exciting casino. Let’s hope they bring it all to Shreveport when they open later this year.